BuzzFeed still includes its ridiculous "10 questions to determine whether your spirit nature is a frog," type of reporting, but lately, I'm liking the site and in terms of health policy news, Paul McLeod, does as good a job as you can based on the "unveiling" of the Republican health plan replacement for Obamacare.
Before you read the article, a brief word about the Republican plan, which I'll address in a separate post. You'll note there are two Congressional House Committees involved, the Ways and Means Committee which is described as the "chief tax-writing committee" in the House with a Health Subcommittee that covers oversight of "programs providing payments (from any source) for health care," etc., and the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has "jurisdiction over telecommunications, consumer protection, food and drug safety," etc. and also includes a Health Subcommittee which deals with things such as "…public health insurance, private health insurance."
Naturally, we'll also notice right away that there is no inclusion of the Senate Budget Committee, which is "…responsible for drafting Congress' annual budget plan and monitoring action on the budget for the Federal Government," which means that the first consumer desire of replacement plan for Obamacare has failed--There is no inclusion of an applicable to all public employees provision that would protect taxpayers from certain public employees like Congress receiving up to 72 percent of their premiums and sweet benefits packages paid for by the American taxpayer.
But back to BuzzFeed's Paul McLeod, go read his, "Republicans Finally Unveil their Obamacare Replacement Plan," March 6, 2017 article. You'll notice he talks about the preservation of coverage of those with pre-existing conditions, grown children up till age 26.
I'm not going to go through his article, it's short and accessible, another reason I like BuzzFeed, no signup requirements, no access limitations, which is the last hurrah of marginalized publications unable to get the readership necessary to attract advertising dollars to keep themselves afloat.
